The Dress
by Johnny Friday
Summary: When Pansy gets a new dress, all she wants is for someone to notice it.


Pansy practically squealed with glee when she opened the package the haughty eagle owl had dropped in her porridge that morning, for inside it was a beautiful mint green dress. Handling it delicately, almost reverently she removed it from it's box and held it up; it was the most gorgeous little sundress. Pansy rummaged inside the box to see if there was anything else and saw that underneath where the dress had been was a neatly folded note on lavender paper.

Removing the note from the bottom, Pansy read it to herself with a smile. It was from her mother, who was currently holidaying in Italy.

'Pansy darling,' It read.

'I found this simply divine dress in a quaint little vintage shop in Milan's magical quarter, I think the shopkeeper told me it was made by Asian centaurs, but you know what my Italian is like, so he could well have been telling me it was a cursed dress, so if you start feeling odd take it off at once!

Anyway, I had it charmed to adjust to your body shape so I'm sure you'll look radiant in it. Send me a photograph for the mantle!

Love and kisses.

Mama Parkinson'

Pansy was ecstatic, the dress really was beautiful, and even better was that they were currently in the middle of a heat wave, so she wouldn't be expected to wear full robes to Hogsmeade next weekend as she would have normally, so she could show it off to everyone! Maybe the boys would even notice she was a girl for once.

-

As expected, the morning of the next Saturday dawned bright and sunny, Pansy awoke at six already feeling the heat begin to irritate her, with a put upon grumble she got up and dragged herself into the shower, ignoring the strange noises Millicent was making in her sleep. As she stood under the shower, rubbing her favourite mint scented shampoo into her hair, she entertained herself with thoughts of all the compliments she'd be receiving very soon. It made her positively inclined to skip, though of course she wouldn't as that was the kind of thing only Hannah Abbot and her like would ever be caught doing.

When she got into the great hall she had yet to put her dress on, she didn't want to risk pouring food down it so instead she had just thrown on plain black robes over some too big trousers and a shirt she'd stolen off Draco earlier in the year.

The boy in question was slumped at the left hand side of the table poking Blaise Zabini's breakfast with his knife. Blaise, to his credit, didn't look at all fazed and just continued to nonchalantly eat his scrambled eggs.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to play with your food?" Pansy commented as she approached his back.

"Didn't _your _mother ever tell you not to sneak up on people?" Draco retorted. "Besides it's not mine."

Pansy rolled her eyes, gesturing for Crabbe to move over before sliding neatly in to sit beside Draco.

"You're cheerful this morning oh light of my life." She commented wryly, reaching for the nearby rack of toast. Draco heaved a dramatic sigh before turning to look at her, sparing Blaise's breakfast from a further mauling.

"I still don't understand why we have to be up so tragically early at the weekend." He held up a hand to stop her inevitable and oft repeated reply. "I don't _care _if it's a Slytherin tradition, it's still stupid!"

As far back as Hogsmeade weekends had existed it had been Slytherin policy to be the first house up, and therefore the first house to leave for Hogsmeade and so the theory went, they would then get all the best stuff.

"_You're_ stupid." Chimed in Blaise thickly, narrowly avoiding spraying egg across the table. The rest of this breakfast, as with most of their meals, was spent bickering good-naturedly.

-

Pansy was ready and waiting at the bottom of the front steps at 8 o'clock sharp, she was the kind of girl who lived in a constant state of fear of missing some life changing event by being late. She had teamed the dress with a big sunhat, black ballet pumps and the (of course real) pearls she had gotten from her favourite uncle for Christmas. All in all she felt rather stylish.

She was just considering sitting down to wait when the boys came out altogether, Pansy always went to Hogsmeade with the boys in her year, as well, to be frank, the girls were just boring, and Slytherins stuck very strictly to the policy of keeping such outings within the year group only. So sadly she had to endure going in 'horrible boys shops' but on the plus side, she could always wheedle all her butterbeers for free.

She waved with little energy, the day was just getting increasingly hot as the hours went by, it was times like this they were all thankful for getting to Hogsmeade so early, it meant when everyone else was baking in cramped shops under the midday sun they'd be happily sipping butterbeer.

Blaise was the first to reach her, acknowledging her with a nod of his head, he set off down the path, whistling a popular wizarding folk song. Draco reached her next, he seemed to have perked up since breakfast and he grinned broadly at her.

"Shall we depart milady?" He said suavely offering his arm, Pansy took it, waiting for a comment on her dress, or at least her general appearance, but one never came. She tried to keep the disappointment off her face but it was hard, especially when absolutely everybody else chose not to give her the compliments she so desired either.

Pansy's mood darkened throughout the day, as the hours went by and no one she saw, saw fit to say a word about her dress. She had far too much pride to fish for them so there was nothing to do but wait, and get herself increasingly worked up about the whole thing. By the time her companions started home, none of them were prepared to even walk with her. They didn't want to deal with her foul mood, and that suited her just fine. So she was slightly put out when Gregory Goyle hung back from the rest of the boys and fell into step with her.

"….Pansy…" He said after awhile, the fuming girl just glared at him.

"Oh what is it Gregory?" She snapped using his full name for effect. The boy shifted a bit awkwardly, then coughed once.

"I eh.. Just wanted to.. Eh.. I mean.. Eh… Ithinkyoulookreallyprettytoday." He spewed out in a nervous rush. Pansy paused for a second.

"Pardon?"

"Erm.. I just… I like your dress, you look really pretty today Pansy, is all." This time what he had said was far more obvious. Pansy looked at him in shock for a second before a genuine smile crept onto her face.

"Thank you." She smiled at him again, this time a bit of blush coloured her cheeks, and when a minute later he made a clumsy grab for her hand she let him.

-

Authors notes: Written for the 100 hp(underscore) fics community on LJ, prompt #1 vintage.


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